In Sports : India 250 for 9 in their first innings at stumps against Australia on Day one of the Adelaide Cricket Test.

In Men's Hockey World Cup: Spain and New Zealand play 2-2 draw; France beat Argentina 5-3 in another Pool-A match.

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All arrangements have been put in place for tomorrow's Assembly elections in Rajasthan and Telangana.

In Rajasthan, around 52,000 polling booths, including at least one all-women booth in each constituency, have been set up. Over two lakh EVMs and VVPAT machines are being used for the polling. More than four crore 74 lakh voters in the state will use their voting right tomorrow. More than 20 lakh voters will exercise their franchise for the first time. Two thousand 274 candidates including 187 women are in the fray for 199 out of total 200 assembly seats in the state. Election on Alwar district's Ramgarh seat was postponed due to death of BSP candidate. Director General of Police O P Galhotra said that elaborate security arrangements have been made for free, fair and peaceful elections. Our Jaipur correspondent reports that Inter-state borders have been sealed and one lakh 44 thousand police and para military personnel have been deployed in the state.

Polling is to take place from 8 AM to 5 PM tomorrow. Special arrangements have been made for more than 4 lakh 36 thousand specially-abled electors. Chief Electoral Officer Anand Kumar told that arrangements are made for transportation, ramps and voter slips in Braille for them. It is first time that 2 booths in Udaipur and one at Nagaur will be operated by differently-abled persons. 2 hundred and 9 model booths have been set up to make this democratic process a celebration. More than 13 thousand booths have been identified as critical and micro observers have been deployed there. Arrangements for web-casting are made on more than 3 thousand polling booths. Jitendra Dwivedi, AIR News , Jaipur"

In Telangana, polling will commence at 7 am tomorrow at 32, 815 polling stations in 119 constituencies. Over 2.8 crore electors including 4.57 lakh Divyangs will exercise their franchise. Total 1821 candidates including 135 women are in the fray. Over 1.6 lakh personnel will perform poll duties. 279 companies of central armed forces, 30,000 state police forces personnel and over 18800 forces personnel from neighbouring state have been deployed. Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Dr Rajat Kumar said, election authorities have stepped up vigilance against inducements including cash and liquor ahead of polling.

"Police have taken special measures to ensure smooth conduct of polling after identifying over 4000 sensitive locations across the state. The first election of Telangana will also become first on many fronts as elaborate arrangements have been made for providing better access to Divyangs. State Disabled and Elders Welfare Commissioner B Sailaja informed that special facilities have been provided at all polling stations. The Election Commission of India for the first time using on a full scale, the VVPATs through which the voter can personally verify whom his or her vote was actually cast. Lakshmi, AIR News, Hyderabad."

Counting of votes in both states will be taken up on Tuesday along with Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram.

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The Union Cabinet today approved Agriculture Export Policy in line with the government's commitment to double farmer's income by 2022. Speaking to media in New Delhi after the meeting of the Cabinet, Minister for Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu said, farmers will get the benefit of export opportunities through a stable trade policy regime. He said, the policy will remove export curbs on most organic and processed food and will also diversify farm product exports.

The Cabinet also approved 15 Technology Innovation Hubs, six Application Innovation Hubs and four Technology translation Research Hubs to be set up under National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems.

It also approved implementation of Shahpurkandi Dam on river Ravi in Punjab. The decision will help minimising some of the water of the River Ravi which at present is going waste downstream to Pakistan.

The Cabinet has also approved the Amendment of the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Act, 1951.

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The Supreme Court today reserved its judgement on the petition moved by CBI Director Alok Verma, challenging the Centre's decision to divest him of all powers and sending him on leave. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi concluded the arguments on behalf of Verma, the Centre, the Central Vigilance Commission and others who were party in the matter.

The court also heard the petition moved by NGO Common Cause which had sought the court-monitored SIT probe into allegations of corruption against various CBI officials, including Special Director Rakesh Asthana. Verma and Asthana have made allegations of corruption against each other.

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In Jammu & Kashmir, an army man was martyred after Pakistani Rangers resorted to ceasefire violation on the forward post of North Kashmir's Kupwara district this morning. Defence sources said that Pakistani forces resorted to unprovoked firing along LoC in Machhil Sector of Kupwara district. They said, Indian forces retaliated in a befitting manner.

In another incident, one BSF jawan was martyred in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Surankote sector of Rajouri district in Jammu region today. BSF sources told AIR Jammu that Pakistani forces started unprovoked firing targeting Indian forward locations. Indian forces retaliated effectively.

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Nation pays homage to the Architect of the Indian Constitution, Bharat Ratna, Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on his 63rd Mahaparinirvan Diwas today. He breathed his last on 6th December, 1956 and the day is observed as Mahaparinirvan Diwas every year.

"The Father of the Indian Constitution Dr B R Ambedkar was a jurist, economist, politician and a social reformer who campaigned against social discrimination of Dalits, women and labourers. President Ram Nath Kovind offered floral tributes at the statue of Baba Saheb at Sansad Bhavan Lawns in Parliament House complex. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawarchand Gehlot, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other dignitaries also offered tributes to Dr. Ambedkar. With Dipendra Kumar, Shiela AIR News, Delhi."

Mr. Gehlot today opened nationwide admissions to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Media Empowerment, New Delhi, to train Dalit and Tribal youths in media studies. He said, the Media school is an effort to encourage the youth belonging to these marginalized segments to find their place through the profession of journalism.

New Delhi today said Kartarpur Corridor is a fulfillment of long pending demand of the Sikh Community. In reply to a media query, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar criticized Pakistan for politicising the pious occasion of ground breaking ceremony of the corridor.

"On the Kartarpur corridor issue, we see it as a fulfilment of long pending demand of the Sikh Community. It was indeed unfortunate that Pakistan attempted to politicise a religious issue related to the sentiments of the Sikh Community. We do hope that Pakistan will implement the announcements which they have made with regard to the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor."

Asked about extradition of alleged middleman Christian Michel in the Augusta Westland VVIP chopper deal, the spokesperson said, the MEA had received requests from CBI and ED for his extradition and after exhausting all judicial process he was brought to India.

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Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has said, in the last four and half years the NDA government has developed a stringent security mechanism to handle any kind of eventuality. In an exclusive interview to All India Radio News, the Minister said, the country is absolutely safe. He added that a few incidents in the border areas is an exception.

"Things are absolutely under control, the country is absolutely safe, barring few incidents in the border areas like Uri and Pathankot. These two incidents happened close to the border areas. So, these are two unfortunate big incidents. Other than that the Urban centre, the country as a whole has seen unprecedented peace in last 4 and half years."

To listen to the full interview, tune into the FM Gold Channel of All India Radio at 9:30 tonight.

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Centre today approved an additional assistance of over 3048 crore rupees to Kerala in view of recent devastating flood in the state. It also sanctioned over 539 crore rupees to cyclone hit Andhra Pradesh and over 131 crore rupees to landslides affected state of Nagaland. The amounts were sanctioned at a meeting of the High Level Committee chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.

"The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange plunged 572 points, to 35,312. The Nifty at National Stock Exchange also tumbled 182 points, to 10,601. Rupee at forex market today weakened 44 paise to 70 rupees and 90 paise against the dollar. And, Brent crude prices, in intra day trade today, were trading around 60 dollars cents per barrel. Paul Thottam with Sanjio Kumar Singh for AIR News."

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In Cricket, India were 250 for 9 in their first innings against Australia at stumps on the opening day of the Adelaide Test today. Skipper Virat Kohli had won the toss and opted to bat. The visitors got off to a disastrous start and they were 86 for 5 at one stage, before the Indian innings was revived by Cheteshwar Pujara. Pujara scored his 16th Test hundred, which was his first in Australia, before he was run out for 123. Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant and Ravichandran Ashwin also made valuable contributions.

The stumps were drawn after Pujara's wicket, with Mohammed Shami at the crease at 6. Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon bagged 2 wickets each. This is the first Test of the four-match series.

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In the Men's Hockey World Cup at Bhubaneswar, France beat Olympic Champions Argentina by five goals to three in a Pool-A match. Inspite of losing, Argentina are through to the quarterfinals as they top the table with six points from two wins followed by France and New Zealand four points each and Spain two. Spain is eliminated as they stand in the fourth position.

Earlier, New Zealand fought back from two goals down to hold Spain to a 2-2 draw in another Pool-A match. In Pool-B matches tomorrow, Australia will lock horns with China at 5 p.m. and Ireland face England at 7 p.m.

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The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has allowed public other than its subscribers to avail medical services at its under-utilised hospitals.

According to an official release, the decision was taken during the ESIC’s meeting chaired by Minister of Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar.

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